Search

With the development of mathematical statistics, people have developed the spatiotemporal interpolation methods based on the spatial interpolation method or the temporal interpolation method. These methods fully consider the comprehensive effects of time series changes and spatial distribution to better handle complicated and changeable meteorological element data. This article systematically reviews the current research progress of spatiotemporal interpolation methods for spatiotemporal sampling data of meteorological origin. Spatiotemporal interpolation methods of meteorological elements are classified into three categories: spatiotemporal geostatistical interpolation methods, spatiotemporal deterministic interpolation methods, and spatiotemporal mixed interpolation methods. This article summarizes the theoretical concept and practical application of the spatiotemporal interpolation methods of meteorological elements, analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of using spatiotemporal interpolation methods for estimating or forecasting meteorological elements, combined through some measures and their application to explain the accuracy of the spatiotemporal interpolation methods; and discusses the problems and challenges of spatiotemporal interpolation. Finally, the future research focus of spatiotemporal interpolation methods is proposed. This article provides a valuable method reference for estimating or predicting meteorological elements such as precipitation in unsampled points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exogenous nucleotides (NTs) are considered conditionally essential nutrients, and the brain cannot synthesize NTs de novo. Therefore, the external supplementation of exogenous NTs is of great significance for maintaining normal neuronal metabolism and function under certain conditions, such as brain aging. This study, therefore, sets out to assess the neuroprotective effect of four kinds of single exogenous NTs and a mixture of the NTs, and to elucidate the potential mechanism. A rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC-12 was treated with different concentrations of exogenous NTs after 4 h of exposure to 200 µM H2O2. We found that the exogenous NTs exerted significant neuroprotection through decreasing neuron apoptosis and DNA damage, ameliorating inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction, promoting cell viability, and augmenting antioxidant activity, and that they tended to up-regulate the NAD+/SIRTI/PGC-1α pathway involved in mitochondrial biogenesis. Among the different NTs, the neuroprotective effect of AMP seemed to be more prominent, followed by the NT mixture, NMN, and CMP. AMP also exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity in H2O2-treated PC-12 cells. UMP was excellent at inhibiting neuronal inflammation and improving mitochondrial function, while GMP offered major advantages in stabilizing mitochondrial membrane potential. The mixture of NTs had a slightly better performance than NMN, especially in up-modulating the NAD+/SIRTI/PGC-1α pathway, which regulates mitochondrial biogenesis. These results suggest that antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, and protection of mitochondrial function are possible mechanisms of the neuroprotective actions of exogenous NTs, and that the optimization of the mixture ratio and the concentration of NTs may achieve a better outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two clones representing highly repetitive sequences in the Bradyrhizobium japonicum serocluster 123 strain were identified. One clone,pFR2503, was mapped within the nodulation gene cluster, while the other, pMAP9,was mapped next to a Tn5 insertion site. Sequences within pFR2509 and pMAP9 arerepresented 18 and 21 times, respectively in the genome of serocluster 123 strains. Southern hybridization experiments showed that these sequences are highly specific to B. japonicum serocluster 123, and can be used as diagnostic probes for differentiating strains within this serocluster.

ABSTRACT Phosgene is a poorly water-soluble gas penetrating the lower respiratory tract which can induce acute lung injury characterized by a latent phase of fatal pulmonary edema. Pulmonary edema caused by phosgene is believed to be a consequence of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Ethyl pyruvate (EP) has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties in vivo and in vitro. The potential therapeutic role of EP in phosgene-induced pulmonary edema has not been addressed so far. In the present study, we aim to investigate the protective effects of EP on phosgene-induced pulmonary edema and the underlying mechanisms. Rats were administered with EP (40 mg kg−1) and RAW264.7 cells were also incubated with it (0, 2, 5 or 10 µ m) immediately after phosgene (400 ppm, 1 min) or air exposure. Wet-to-dry lung weight ratio (W:D ratio), nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production, cyclooxygenase2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, and mitogen-activated protein kinases activities (MAPKs) were measured. Our results showed that EP treatment attenuated phosgene-induced pulmonary edema and decreased the level of NO and PGE2 dose-dependently. Furthermore, EP significantly reduced COX-2 expression, iNOS expression and MAPK activation induced by phosgene. Moreover, specific inhibitors of MAPKs reduced COX-2 and iNOS expression induced by phosgene. These findings suggested that EP has a protective role against phosgene-induced pulmonary edema, which is mediated in part by inhibiting MAPK activation and subsequently down-regulating COX-2 and iNOS expression as well as decreasing the production of NO and PGE2. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water-soluble fullerene derivative C60(OH)x was radiolabeled with 67GaCl3. The labeling yields were determined by radio-PLC. The effects of pH, reaction time, temperature and the amount of C60(OH)x on the labeling yields were studied. The stability of 67Ga-C60(OH)x was also examined. The results showed that the labeling yields could reach 97% under the best labeling conditions and the radiochemical purity of 67Ga-C60(OH)x solution kept at 37 °C remained at 88% after 212 hours. The biodistribution studies of 67Ga-C60(OH)x in mice showed a high localization of 67Ga-C60(OH)x in the bone marrow, bone, liver and spleen with slow clearance and a negligible accumulation in the blood. These data suggest that the water-soluble C60(OH)x, having the same properties as microcolloids, may be used as a carrier of drug system for lymphatic targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secreted phospholipase A(2) of group IIA (sPLA(2)-IIA) has been involved in a variety of inflammatory diseases, including acute lung injury. However, the specific role of sPLA(2)-IIA in phosgene-induced acute lung injury remains unidentified. The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between sPLA(2)-IIA activity and the severity of phosgene-induced acute lung injury. Adult male rats were randomly exposed to either normal room air (control group) or a concentration of 400 ppm phosgene (phosgene-exposed group) for there are 5 phosgene-exposed groups altogether. For the time points of 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h post-exposure, one phosgene-exposed group was sacrificed at each time point. The severity of acute lung injury was assessed by Pa(O2)/F(IO2) ratio, wet-to-dry lung-weight ratio, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid protein concentration. sPLA(2)-IIA activity in BAL fluid markedly increased between 1 h and 12 h after phosgene exposure, and reached its highest level at 6 h. Moreover, the trend of this elevation correlated well with the severity of lung injury. These results indicate that sPLA(2)-IIA probably participates in phosgene-induced acute lung injury.